Many people contend with spine issues as a result of age, disease, and trauma, as well as congenital and acquired complications and conditions. While some of these issues can be alleviated without surgery, other issues necessitate surgery. Spinal fusion may be recommended for conditions such as spondylolistheses, degenerative disc disease, or recurrent disc herniation, and is designed to create solid bone between adjacent vertebrae, thereby eliminating any movement between the bones. A spinal fusion uses an implant or device known as an interbody cage or spacer along with bone graft and/or bone graft substitute that is inserted into the disc space between adjacent vertebrae from one side of the spine. Typically, additional surgical hardware (implants) such as pedicle screws and rods or plates are attached to the back of the vertebrae. As the bone graft heals, it fuses the adjacent vertebrae to form one long vertebra.
A fusion of the lumbar region of the spine (a lumbar fusion) may be accomplished using several techniques. Once such technique is known as a transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion or TLIF. TLIF spine surgery is performed through the posterior aspect of the spine and provides stabilization of the anterior portion by an interbody cage and bone graft while the posterior portion is locked in place with pedicle screws, rods and bone graft. A TLIF procedure is advantageous over a posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) and other lumbar fusion procedures for several reasons. In a TLIF procedure, bone fusion is enhanced because bone graft is not only placed along the “gutters” of the spine posteriorly, but also in the disc space. A TLIF procedure also allows the surgeon to insert bone graft and an interbody cage into the disc space laterally from a unilateral approach without forcefully retracting the nerve roots as much as the PLIF approach, which can reduce injury and scarring around the nerve roots. However, there is room for improvement over current TLIF implants, instruments, and/or surgical procedures, such as the need to accurately place a TLIF implant into a vertebral space.
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved TLIF implant, an instrument for implanting the improved TLIF, and/or a surgical procedure for the implantation. It is another object of the present invention to provide a steerable TLIF implant and instrument therefor.